Commentary: Trump’s WHO exit could be a global health disaster, but also an opportunity

During a global emergency, the WHO plays a crucial role in coordinating responses. The International Health Regulations require countries to report outbreaks that could be of international concern and members share information, samples and technical guidance through the WHO.

While various multilateral institutions (such as UNICEF), public-private partnerships (such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance), private foundations (such as the Gates Foundation) and international non-governmental organisations (such as Doctors Without Borders) contribute to health globally, none match the scope and reach of the WHO.

The WHO alone possesses the unique convening power to forge policy consensus among governments and establish international health norms. The eradication of smallpox in 1980 was one such landmark achievement, with both the US and Soviet Union cooperating through the WHO despite the Cold War.

Nonetheless, US efforts to increase its parallel multilateral partnerships for global health or biosecurity via its National Security Council apparatus could, at the very least, weaken the WHO’s authority and power in the short term.

Mr Trump’s executive order also puts a stop to US negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement that was intended to address weaknesses in global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This effort was already faltering when member states failed to negotiate a consensus last year, and with this latest blow, the prospect of a substantive agreement by the time of the World Health Assembly in May is bleak.